"Again... There's no way to say for sure. 'Plant' is, of course, a concept that we apply to a certain class of living things here on Earth. If we discovered an alien race that, for example, sustained itself via photosynthesis, would they be 'plants'? I don't know how good of an idea it is to classify alien biology using a system we apply to our own planet. How useful would it really be?"

He let the question hang for a few moments. "Alright. Homework, then." He wandered back to his desk to pick up his wand. "To be handed in before the next lesson." He tapped the blackboard, and the assignment appeared.


Astronomy 1 - homework

Choose one of the following:

1. On the basis of what you learned this lesson, discuss the merits of searching for extraterrestrial life. Is it even worth looking for it? Are there better ways of going about it, and if so, what would they be? One roll of parchment maximum (3 paragraphs).

2. For the more creatively inclined among you: Come up with your own planet!
You will need to provide a short description of the planet itself (Does it have a name? Does it have moons? What does it look like?). Then, describe the sort of life this planet might have. What do the inhabitants look like? Do they walk upright like us? Do they breathe air? How do they live? Is there something like "magic" on this planet as well?

This assignment needs to be handed in by Friday, 17 June, at 11:59pm GMT. It is worth 10 points. Make sure to read the homework submission guidelines, and don't hesitate to ask if you have questions. (IC or OOC.)

"There you go," he said, putting the wand down on the table. "Enjoy the rest of your day. I'll be here for a few more minutes if you have any questions that did not come up in class."